Improvement in counter-stiffeners for boots and shoes



G. W. SIMPSON. OOUNTER-STIFFEITERS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES.

No. 178,387. Patent ed June 6,1876.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. SIMPSON, OF FEDERALSBURQ MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN COUNTER-STIFFENERS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES.

Speeification forming part of Letters Patent No. 178,387, dated J une 6,1876; application filed April 10, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, GEORGE W. SIMPSON,

of Federalsburg, in the county of Caroline and State of Maryland, haveinvented a new and useful Improvementin Counter and Back- Stay for Bootsand Shoes, of which the folv shoes, which shall be simple inconstruction,

easily applied, and effective in use, wholly preventing the boots andshoes from running over at the sides or running down at the heel,

. and which, at the same time, will be comfortable to the wearer.

The invention consists in the skeleton counter or back-stay made ofspring-steel, and consisting of the parallel bars and the cross-bars,having their projecting ends bent inward to adapt it to be applied toboots and shoes, as hereinafter fully described.

A represents the counter, which is made in skeleton form, and consistsof two parallel bars, 00, connected at their ends and center bycross-bars 0, the lower ends of which project beyond the lower bar 0).The counter A is made of spring-steel, and is curved, as shown in thefigure, to correspond with the shape of the boot-heel, and theprojecting ends of the cross-bar a are bent inward at right angles. Inusing the counter the boot is sewed and turned, and the counter is thenslipped in between the outside leather and the lining, and the turned-inends of the crossbars a are placed between the inner and outer soles ofthe boot. As back-stays for shoes,-

the device is made and applied in the same way, except that the cornersof the device are rounded off or beveled to give them the proper shape.With this device, should the boot or shoe be pushed over, the elasticityof the steel will bring it back to its place as soon as the pressure isremoved.

The device thus constructed will be light, strong, and durable, will beeasy to the foot, and will lessen and lighten the labor of manufacture.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent-- The skeleton counter or back-stay A, made ofspring-steel, and consisting of the parallel bars a and the cross-bars ahaving their projecting ends bent inward to-adapt it to be applied toboots and shoes, substantially as herein shown and described.

GEORGE W. SIMPSON. Witnesses:

JOHN R. LEE, A. L. HUTGHINSON.

